Boulder Burial, Burren, Co. Cavan

Not to be confused with the famous 'Burren' region of County Clare, the newly openend Burren Archaeological Trail in Co. Cavan does however offer an interesting glimpse into how the almost lunar karst rock surface of the Co. Clare Burren may once have looked.

The unusual landscape here is also formed by an underlying limetone pavement, but the effects of land clearance, soil erosion and weathering have not been so severe. In contrast to the stark Co. Clare Burren, here in Co. Cavan the limestone pavement is home to mature pine forests, odd-looking sandstone erratics on limestone pedestals and also some spectacular neolithic and bronze age monuments.

The intruiging structure to the left is one of the largest of the erratics found in the park and it's also the most intruiging. Recent surveys of the area by two school teachers from Enniskillen have brought interesting new finds to light, they now suspect the structure was used as a boulder type burial with a small chamber cut from the limestone bedrock below. On top of this , they also discovered what appears to be some very eroded cup and ring style rock art on the top surface of the boulder and also on a smaller boulder close by.

This is the smaller boulder which does indeed feature a pair of worn but distinct cup and ring carvings. Further examples of rock art are believed to have been discovered nearby and one of the roofstones of the large wedge tomb in the area, known as the 'Giant's Leap' is covered in cup and ring marks.